കരിമീൻ പൊള്ളിച്ചത് - pearlspot fish in coconut milk

My mother makes this when there are guests at home and also when my father buys get good karimeen from the market.

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 Kg. karimeen
2. 2 medium sized onion thinly sliced
3. 2  medium sized tomato , thinly sliced
4. 2 tsp julienned ginger
5. 4 green chili , seeds removed, slit
6. handful of curry leaves
7. 3 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
8. 1 tsp turmeric powder
9. 1 tsp pepper powder
10. 1 tsp fancy garam masala
11. 3 cups coconut milk taken from 3 cups coconut , first and second milk separated
12. 2 tsp vinegar
13. 4 Tbsp oil
14. salt to taste

METHOD

• Wash , drain and cut the fish into pieces. Marinate the fish pieces with ingredients 7-10 and salt, for atleast 30 minutes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• In the interim , prepare the ingredients 2-6 . Squeeze the coconut milk and keep ready.
  

  

  
  
  

  

• Heat a pan on medium high heat , wide enough to fry all the fish pieces in one go , if not fry the fishes in 2 rounds.
• When the pan is warm , pour the 2 Tbsp. of oil , when the oil is hot , add the fish pieces . Fill the gap with few slices of onions , tomatoes ,ginger , garlic and curry leaves. Fry the fish ,turning over after 2 minutes. Control the temperature , if required. (Only the fish needs to be turned over , the onions and the rest need not be turned over)
• The fish need not be deep fried , only slightly roasted and cooked on either sides.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Drain the fish into a pan or mann chatti(earthen pot). It is in this pot that all the fishes will be boiled along with the coconut milk.
  
  
  
• My frying pan could not accommodate all of the marinated fish in one go , so I had to repeat a second round of frying with the rest of the fish. There will be some oil in the pan , pour oil only if required.
  

• After all of the fish are done frying and drained into the pot , pour the second coconut  milk and bring to a boil in the mann chatti. Add salt . Remember salt has already been added to the fish before frying. Stir the curry very carefully. Take the milk from the sides and splash it into the middle. Stirring it very hard will break down the fish pieces.
• Turn off the stove and pour the first coconut milk. No need to boil after adding the fiest milk , it will heat up from the heat of the pot.

• Check for salt. Add vinegar , only if required. Cover and keep for atleast 30 minutes. Serve in the mann chatti for an authentic kerala style.
  

• Its a very good side dish for rice. Because the fish has a lot of bones and the pieces are big , my mother always serves it in a side plate , as shown in the above photo.